A master of metaphysics is farming.

Chapter 170 Closing the City

The visitor was none other than Magistrate Zeng.

The soldiers blocked Magistrate Zeng from peeking out. "Magistrate, please be careful. The general said that we can only let people out and not let them in, and we cannot disobey the order."

Magistrate Zeng, being quite old and having recently experienced some misfortune, has become much more hunched over. "I beg you, sir, to be lenient. This Miss Xiang must be returning from the capital; she's worried about her family..."

"Stop talking!" The soldiers used their spears to separate Magistrate Zeng. "Magistrate, please don't make things difficult for us. If she has been turned by the enemy, everyone in Shuiyun City will die."

"How...how could this be..."

While the argument continued, Zhu Nan pulled something out of his waist and held it up, saying, "My lord, we have the Rong'an Prince's Mansion token."

The argument suddenly stopped, and then a voice rang out, "Could it be that troops have been dispatched from the capital!"

Xiang He looked up, but the thick fog made it difficult to see clearly. "The main army won't arrive so soon. We've come to inform them first. Please let us through."

Magistrate Zeng nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes! Miss Xiang has a close relationship with the Prince's Mansion, she is definitely not someone who has been turned by the enemy. Please inform the General, sir..."

There was silence again from above, but Xiang He and the other person weren't in a hurry. They waited until the footsteps faded away and the figure above moved.

Xiang He cleared away the fog in front of her eyes, and saw that there were a few more torches on the city wall, which finally made her able to see a little better.

In the quiet of the night, the two waited silently.

But the horses beside them were restless, kicking their hooves, and Zhu Nan gripped the reins tightly.

Xiang He gently patted the horse's back, "This is unease; it seems there really is something strange going on."

He tightened his grip on the reins. "Something even a girl can't see clearly."

Xiang He patted the horse's back, "Don't worry, the city should still be safe. Let's go in first and see what the situation is before we make any plans."

"Yes."

As soon as the two finished speaking, there was a sound from inside the city gate. With a creak, the city gate opened a crack, and a soldier peeked out to look around. After confirming that there was no one else, he pushed the city gate open a little further.

He immediately ran out and walked to the front of the bamboo grove, where the bamboo grove handed him the token.

Several figures appeared below the city gate. One of them was wearing armor and a helmet, with a large sword half a person's height hanging at his waist. He looked the two men up and down with a fierce expression.

After the soldier handed him the token, another soldier brought the torch closer and finally saw the words on the token.

The tall general gripped the hilt of his sword with one hand, reached out and took the torch, carefully examining the two men. "You said you've come to see your relatives?"

Xiang He stepped forward hastily, “Yes, my mother is the second-in-command of Jinyizhuang, and my younger brother Xiangyang has joined the army.”

Magistrate Zeng nodded in agreement, “General, it’s the Jinyi Manor that donated grain earlier.”

The general frowned slightly, turned to the side and tossed the token to Zhu Nan, "Come in and talk."

The city gate opened, and the two men followed, leading their horses. Only when they got closer could they see the magistrate's face clearly; his eyes were dark and his temples were much grayer.

"It seems the magistrate has been very tired lately..."

"Alas..." Magistrate Zeng sighed and shook his head, "The enemy will be closing in soon, and the city has been preparing defenses for the past two days..."

"Magistrate, military matters should not be discussed with outsiders."

"Yes……"

Xiang He and Zhu Nan walked through the city, surrounded by patrolling soldiers who were carrying things toward the front gate.

After walking a long way, we arrived at the county government office.

The general sat upright at his desk and asked, "Did the Prince's residence receive the news? When did this happen? When will the reinforcements from the capital arrive?"

Xiang He quickly released her clasped hands and said, “Reporting to the general, I only learned of the enemy attack after returning to my hometown. However, it was only a few days after I set off that I saw people fleeing. I think the reinforcements from the capital will arrive soon.”

"Is that Chu Wu on your shoulder?"

Xiang He tilted her head slightly, and Black Crow, with its eyes half-closed, pressed its head against her earlobe.

Puzzled as to why he suddenly asked this, she could only honestly reply, "Yes, I have been raising her for several months."

The general had a black beard and sharp, eagle-like eyes, as if he were investigating the secrets of the two men.

A young girl with a Chu crow and a guard by her side—this would inevitably raise suspicion about her identity.

Undeterred by the stern look in his eyes, Xiang He clasped her hands together again, "General, this humble woman wishes to return to see her family."

The general's thick eyebrows twitched, and he pointed at one of the soldiers, "Take him with you."

"Yes."

The two men, now partially free, turned and left the yamen. A soldier was now watching them, but neither of them seemed nervous.

At this moment, the general looked at Magistrate Zeng and asked, "Who exactly is that girl? Why is she worth the magistrate's help?"

When questioned, Magistrate Zeng hesitated for a moment, but finally bowed and explained, "In fact, Miss Xiang helped me, I am not a bad person..."

He gave a brief account of Zeng Yunqing's situation, and the general frowned as he listened. "You mean, this young girl is a Taoist priest?"

"Exactly."

The hall remained silent for a long time, and Magistrate Zeng felt an immense pressure on his head.

After an unknown amount of time, a sneer broke the silence, and the general suddenly stood up. "So you got on the good side of the Rong'an Prince's Mansion by using these bluffing tricks. I thought she was capable just now because she didn't flinch, but it seems I was wrong. You may leave."

Magistrate Zeng wanted to say something, but when he looked up and saw the general's disdainful expression, he shut up. Without seeing these things with his own eyes, he would only find them unbelievable.

Swallowing his words of rebuttal, Magistrate Zeng bowed again, "Yes..."

-

As dawn broke and the thin mist that had enveloped Shuiyun City began to dissipate, the sky gradually turned a pale white.

One of the ribs of the large umbrella in his hand shimmered slightly before quickly dimming. Xiang He glanced at it and realized it was the umbrella that had brought back the Four Ghosts.

Seeing the soldiers around him looking exhausted, Xiang He couldn't help but turn around and ask curiously, "Brother soldier, if I may ask, why are you only setting up defenses at night?"

The soldier's face was dark and he was exhausted. He waved his hand irritably, "Ordinary people shouldn't ask so many questions!"

Xiang He shrugged, "Okay..."

The two walked along the familiar road towards the south of the city. The once bustling Shuiyun City was almost deserted.

Those who remain here are either men who have no relatives elsewhere or have accompanied others who have joined the army.

The three walked for a while and finally saw the familiar gate.

The main gate, which should have been open for business, was tightly shut. They went around to the back gate and found a pile of burnt incense sticks under a large tree not far away.

It seems they've been properly offering incense to their fifth uncle.

Xiang He was somewhat emotional; it had only been a little over two months since he left, and yet such a thing had suddenly happened.

Clearing her mind of all distractions, Xiang He was about to knock on the door when it was suddenly pulled open from the inside, and a small figure appeared.

The little girl looked up as soon as she saw someone, and when she tried to see Xiang He, her eyes immediately reddened. "Sister!"

Seeing that Xiang Yun's face was chubby and she had grown quite a bit taller, and that she was unharmed, Xiang He smiled and opened her arms wide, "Sister is back."

She threw herself into Xiang He's arms, her voice trembling with tears, "Sister, why are you back...? The enemy is coming! Didn't you see Fourth Aunt and the others on the way?"

Xiang He gently patted her head, "Your older sister is back to take you away."

"But my brother..."

Xiang He patted her head again, "Don't worry, let's go inside first."

"Ok!"